Premier Alison Redford’s executive assistant is billing Alberta taxpayers more than $200 a night to stay at one of Edmonton’s ritziest hotels, according to government records…

Redford’s spokeswoman, Neala Barton, said in an email that the Edmonton hotel tab is good value for money, given that [Brad] Stables lives in Calgary and that the province has a cut-rate deal at the hotel.

“(Stables) calls the Calgary area home, so never charges the taxpayer for accommodations when he is in Calgary,” wrote Barton.

“When he assists the premier in Edmonton, he requires accommodation. When the legislature isn’t sitting, (Stables) spends significantly less time in Edmonton, meaning it’s unlikely taxpayers would receive value for money were he to acquire an apartment in the city and receive a standard housing allowance.”

On the buses between Montreal and Ottawa, there are many people who live in one city and work in the other. Many commute daily. Some have apartments in city in which they work, while their primary residence is elsewhere. Lots of academics working and living between Montreal and Ottawa. While at the University of Ottawa, knew of one who chose to stay at the former Ottawa jail, now a youth hostel, while his family remained in Montreal. When at Concordia University, my family lived in Ottawa. Hence the apartment at Sherbrooke and West Broadway. Mid-range hotels before that, or the McGill University residence in the summer. Accommodation based on what one could afford, based on one’s choice to not move primary residence, for whatever reason.

No concept of “standard housing allowance”. Or reimbursement for travel costs, where the travel is necessitated by one’s own choices.